1. Character Conception

2. Package Deals: Some large organizations, like the military, have basic requirements for employees. Characters in such organizations may wish to start by buying a Package Deal. This may require the character to buy some Disadvantages, and always includes skills. Not all characters will have Package Deals. (See Package Deals.

3. Characteristics: Buy Characteristics to match the character conception. If the character is immensely strong, he should buy up his STR; an agile acrobat would want a high DEX. Check the skills; if the character has a lot of skills based on the same Characteristic, he should consider buying more of that Characteristic. If the character is particularly poor at something, he should sell back some Characteristics below the starting values. Primary Characteristics   Figured Characteristics

4. Abilities: Choose the most important abilities for the character. In heroic campaigns, this will include Skills, Perks, and perhaps Talents and Powers. For superheroic campaigns, the character can usually buy all of these. The character should also choose a few Professional or Knowledge Skills that make the character unique, such as Wine Connoisseur, Old Earth Weapons, or Singing. These skills make the character more fun to play, and could be even useful someday. (Skill Enhancers)

5. Disadvantages: What things are not perfect about the character? Does he have an old enemy, a police record, or chronic bad luck? Such Disadvantages help define the character and give him more points to buy Skills or Characteristics. The character can buy Disadvantages up to the maximum allowed by the campaign.

6. Balancing: The cost of the character may be more than the Base points + Disadvantage points. Look at the character's Characteristics; some of these may be sold back. Downgrade less important skills to Familiarities. Remember that the character will be earning Experience Points to improve Skills and Characteristics. Alternately, a character may have points left over. In this case, he can buy additional Skills or improve his Primary Characteristics. He should reconsider the Disadvantages, and eliminate any that are inappropriate. He can even save the points, and then spend them when he thinks of something that is appropriate for the character. Such saved points should be treated identically to Experience Points.

7. Equipment: Determine what devices and equipment the character owns. This is especially important in heroic campaigns; characters in superheroic campaigns have to spend Character Points for their equipment.